Zaha Hadid Reveals New Plans For Luxe “Stacked Vases” Building

The new 606-foot (185-metre) tower will house a Mandarin Oriental hotel and premier residences in Melbourne, Australia.

On July 5, Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) announced new details on the stunning new mixed-use luxury tower in downtown Melbourne. The design of the skyscraper — set to open in 2023 — resembles a series of “smaller stacked vases” with a “wide variety of interior spaces,” says ZHA project director Michele Pasca di Magliano.

The tower, located on Collins Street in the center of Melbourne’s financial district, will house the Mandarin Oriental’s 196 guestrooms, the interiors of which will be designed to reflect Melbourne’s local cultural influences, as well as 148 private residences. The residential units, according to ZHA, will “provide some of the most well-appointed private homes in the city,” and all of the hotel’s amenities will be at the disposal of the owners.

The facade resembles a delicate-yet-sturdy white honeycomb, while the building’s sections taper upwards like a cactus in bloom. The top section changes from the honeycomb-like design into straight vertical lines — almost like a crowning vase for the building. It’s this upper portion of the building that will house the private residences, as well as a restaurant and a bar with a landscaped roof terrace.